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No Comments [ Add Comment ]'Bedtime Stories' a wake-up call for the imagination
By Michelle PfostWhen my 5-year-old cousin asked me if I wanted to see the movie "Bedtime Stories," I was a little reluctant. Adam Sandler in a good, clean kids' movie? Could it even be possible?
I have to admit that I definitely had my doubts, but since my dad said he would pay for it and my cousin is just too cute to resist, I decided I would give it a chance.
"Bedtime Stories" is a Disney film about a hotel repairman named Skeeter (Sandler) who ends up having to take care of his niece and nephew (Laura Ann Kesling and Jonathan Morgan Heit) while their mother Wendy (Courteney Cox) goes to Arizona for a job interview.
Wendy's friend Jill (Keri Russell) takes care of the kids during the school day, then Skeeter takes care of them at night. He tells them a bedtime story the first night he spends with them and the next day finds that the events he talks about in his stories actually come true. Skeeter later finds out through trial and error that it is the kids, not him, who control what happens.
I really liked this movie because it has the perfect ending and I absolutely love happy endings. This movie also made me laugh. Some of the scenarios Skeeter makes up in his bedtime stories are so ridiculous that they are hilarious, including a "Star Wars"-type battle in zero gravity and a Western cowboy scene with a red horse named Ferrari. It's also funny to see how the stories play out in real life, because most of the things that happen would never actually occur in real life.
For all of you out there who love a romantic story, this movie has some romance in it as well. This film also moves along at a good pace and I never felt bored.
I also like how this movie shows that it is OK for children to use their imaginations. Nowadays children don't use their imaginations as much because of television, video games, etc., and it's good to be reminded that we can entertain ourselves just by making up our own stories and games.
I was impressed with how well-behaved Sandler was in this movie. He did make a couple of crude jokes, but they weren't any worse than jokes you would hear in other PG movies. He's perfect for the role of Skeeter because he is like a kid himself, so it is not hard to believe that he would have the imagination to come up with such fantastic stories. Sandler is reported as saying that he made "Bedtime Stories" because he wanted to make a movie his kids could watch and still look him in the eyes afterward. I think he succeeded.
I am not saying this is a perfect film, with nothing bad in it whatsoever. There is some crude humor, hence the PG rating, but otherwise it is clean. The giant eyes of the kids' pet guinea pig might also scare some people, but I thought that they were funny and kind of cute.
"Bedtime Stories" is probably a film that will be the most enjoyed by young and pre-teen kids, but I think that anyone can enjoy it. However, if you are a person with absolutely no imagination whatsoever and don't like movies where everything works out perfectly, then this isn't the movie for you.
Some films leave me feeling they were the worst way to spend 90 minutes of my life, but I definitely didn't feel that way about this one. For others wondering if they should give "Bedtime Stories" a chance, go right ahead -- no need to wait for your 5-year- old cousin to ask you.
Michelle Pfost is a senior at Weber High School. She likes to sing, act, read and play the piano. Contact her at michellepfost@yahoo.com.
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